AP – "News" Spotlight Blog
There are big things happening at GH2 this year, but so far, the best part of 2020 is announcing that we have promoted an incredible group of firm leaders to Associate Principal. Please join us in congratulating Kala Ade, Sara Andrews, Nathan Buck, Megan Chinowth, Christina Harris, Nicole Shay, Robert Wadsack and Tyler Wallace.
In the past few years, this group has reached for excellence on every project they have worked on and have truly made GH2 a better place to be. They have put in extra hours, taken on more responsibility and used their talent and experience to serve our clients every day. We believe that who we are drives what we do, and this group of individuals leans into every aspect of their role at GH2 with full confidence and tremendous work ethic. We are so honored to have them on our team. This transition is incredibly exciting in that it will set the stage for additional leadership opportunities across our firm.
Please join us in sending congratulations and wishing each of them the best of luck in their new roles. Continue reading below to learn a little more about our incredible new Associate Principals.
If there were an interior design superhero, it would be Christina Harris. She has a brilliantly creative mind, is always current on the latest design trends AND she has traveled to Paris with a toddler and twin babies. Christina brings a fresh perspective to each project on which she works. Christina has worked on various interior projects from space planning and volumetric design to finish and furniture selections, including hospitality, residential, office, educational, municipal and religious facilities.
When asked about her favorite achievement over the past nine years at GH2 she is simply unable to pick one a single project. When pressed, she provides, "One of my favorite things about GH2 is the ability to work on all different kinds of projects - each special in their own way."
She continues, "I say this every time, but it's the truth: The people here are the best. The projects are amazing and certainly have helped me grow into the designer I am today, but I would not have made it without the help, guidance, and leadership from my colleagues. They've made learning and evolving in this industry fun and exciting; for that, I am forever grateful!"
The professional's professional. The queen of equine. Not only have we promoted Kala to Associate Principal she is also officially our Director of The Equine Specialty practice at GH2. Kala is always on top of her game and constantly working towards prioritizing the highest level of client service for every project. She quite literally lives and breathes all things equine, not only does she specialize in the sector here at GH2, she also runs a family ranch of her own and spends her free time showing her prize-winning horses. Kala began her journey with GH2 in 2009 as an intern and has been with us ever since. Two of her most acclaimed projects are the Expo Square in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the Kansas State University Equine Performance Testing Center. When asked about her eleven incredible years at GH2 she states "GH2 has allowed me the opportunity to work within the Equine Specialty Practice combining my love for Architecture and Master Planning along with my lifelong love for horses. Being able to combine these passions to provide equine facility design services is a dream job! It's been a pleasure to learn and grow under the GH2 leadership and I am grateful for so many great team members and clients to have the opportunity to work with!".
The guy everyone wants on their team! As the son of a contractor, Tyler has been living design and construction his entire life, he was truly born to be a project manager and we are thrilled to have him on our team. The offices' social butterfly, funny and personable, Tyler is confident and makes everyone feel at ease in any situation he finds himself in. He has worked on a variety of incredible projects, one of his favorites being the SeneGence Call Center. Tyler is the ultimate team player and consistently works hard towards finding a team consensus and ensures all projects are running smoothly. He'll even sprint over half of a mile to make it to a meeting, even if it means spending the first ten minutes of the meeting catching his breath (yes, this actually happened). Tyler believes that what truly sets GH2 apart from the rest is that "we do the right thing for our people, clients, and communities. That by far is the strongest attribute this team has." Tyler has a true passion for architecture, but for him, the people at GH2 are what motivates him. In his own words, he said "this year has been trying for everyone in all factions of our lives, and I am continuously amazed by how everyone at GH2 continues to support and grow with one another. The possibilities are infinite with our team. Like the great Kevin Garnett said, "Anything is possible!". We know Tyler will serve us well as an Associate Principal and will continue to do incredible work like he has been with GH2 the past eight years.
Sara is kind and thoughtful in everything she does, and her brilliant work has been a daily reminder to us all for the past three years that architecture truly is art that you can experience. Sara enjoys working closely with clients to provide unique solutions tailored to meet their needs. Some of her most notable projects from her time at GH2 have been the Mustang Science Academy and the Lee C Moore Office Building. When reflecting on her time at GH2 Sara notes "The limits are endless at GH2. I've had the opportunity to grow and learn so much in the past 3 years. We have the best clients that come to us because they know who we are; fun people without egos who are really creative and great to work with. It's a rewarding challenge every day at GH2!"
Nicole Shay is the kind of manager and mentor every team dreams of having. Her attention to detail, project development and management, from schematic design to construction administration, on every project has continued to amaze our clients for the five years that she has been with GH2. One of the very first projects Nicole worked on while starting at GH2 was a one-of-a-kind, multi-functional loft/display garage in downtown Tulsa at 16th and Boston, which was something completely different from what she had been doing previously. She has always had a love for cars so building a garage for high end sports cars was something completely unique and fun to be a part of. It was also a huge learning curve from all aspects and really set the tone for what her experience could be at GH2. Of her more recent projects, she led the charge for the new Rosewood Elementary school in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. When reflecting on this award-winning project Nicole states "It felt like everything I had learned up to this point had been put into this project, and I'm very proud with how happy the client and kids are with their new building. It's the best part of the job." If you have the honor of knowing Nicole, you know she has the best sense of humor that every office needs, is an immediate friend to anyone she meets, and has an incredible outlook on life. Her appreciation for GH2 stems from the opportunities and the people, noting: "I love that GH2 allows me to grow in all aspects, as an architect, a leader, a mentor, and as a businessperson. All my responsibilities are different from day to day, so I am always learning and progressing with whatever I am doing. I also love the people and am very passionate about our culture, I truly believe we have something special here".
Megan Chinowth has been our go-to person for all things interior design for the past five years. She actively listens to our client's desires resulting in an always spot-on approach when delivering results and creating environments that exceed the clients wishes. Her favorite thing about GH2 is "by far the people I get to work with every day. It's so nice to love the people you work with since you are spending so much time together – all while creating some amazing projects." If you know Megan, you know she is a die-hard Sooner fan…but her devotion to her work proved true when she once had to text "Go Cowboys!" to a client before they would give her an answer she needed. And really, what more can you ask for? One sector Megan is truly passionate about is our work with education groups. She is most proud of her work she has done with Broken Arrow public schools in Tulsa, OK. When discussing her amazing work for this client, she notes "they encourage creativity and want each space we design to be unique, which makes for really fun projects; Another favorite project and client is The Assistance League of Tulsa: I fell in love with their mission and the women we worked with".
Robert is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet and is devoted and passionate about sustainability and the effect that our work as architects has on our environment, oh and he also wins the award for best beard in the office. We've been lucky to have Robert for the past six years and he has done exceptionally well holding down the fort as the Director of the Phoenix office. He now is leading of efforts for all projects in the Phoenix area and has recently wrapped up the Mesa Federal Remodel with shining reviews from our clients. Robert appreciates "The diversity of projects I've had the opportunity to work on at GH2 has been unreal. I am constantly challenged and constantly learning. Architecture gives us the opportunity to better the lives of our neighbors and community in a way few other professions can, and it is truly gratifying to get to do so with such a great team."